Selective training of 1940 My name is Donna McGuire. I’m a female in my early twenties; Born on April 9, 1917. I have a husband and a four year old son. We had a great life, I stayed at home with little Billy while my husband Ray worked in the factory during the day. Every night we sat down together and had a family dinner, we all were very close. In 1940 Congress passed the Selective Training and Service Act (Danzer et. al. 551). This act was also known as the first peacetime draft (Danzer et. al. 551).
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The document was brought up to Congress right before France was taken over and became a law three months later. We were all very scared because we didn’t want Ray to be chosen in the draft. “Don’t worry I will be here for you.” He used to tell me everyday. The Selective Training and Service Act was a process where around fifteen million Americans were chosen and would have to fight during the Second World War (Spencer, Jr.). The age requirements for the draft were from age 21-35, the category that Ray plopped into (Danzer et. al. 551). We weren’t able to decide if he would be chosen or not, each member was chosen through a lottery (Glass). Of the fifteen million men, Ray was one out of one million of them selected to be drafted for one year but he is only allowed to serve in the Western Hemisphere (Glass). This would prepare him
for the war without having him go fight far away (Danzer et. al. 551). This made me feel better because I wasn’t as worried that he wouldn’t be coming back. The Selective Training Act marked the end of our normal life in the United States. For the first time citizens like Ray, were drafted into the army to prepare themselves for possible attacks, http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/clifir.html yet the country remained at peace and not in any war (Spencer, Jr.). After Ray returned home, Roosevelt created a revised bill which would allow more members of the army to be trained at one time. This bill was approved by the Senate on August 18, 1941 (Glass). Danzer, Gerald A. et. Al. The Americans. Evanston: McDougal Little Inc.,2003. Glass , Andrew . "Congress enacts first peacetime draft law: Sept. 14, 1940 ." Politico. Sep 14, 2007 . Capitol News Company. 20 Oct 2008 <http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/5792.html>. Spencer, Jr., Samuel R.. "The First Peacetime Draft." University Press Of Kansas. 2007. University Press of Kansas. 20 Oct 2008 <http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/clifir.html>.
My name is Donna McGuire. I’m a female in my early twenties; Born on April 9, 1917. I have a husband and a four year old son. We had a great life, I stayed at home with little Billy while my husband Ray worked in the factory during the day. Every night we sat down together and had a family dinner, we all were very close. In 1940 Congress passed the Selective Training and Service Act (Danzer et. al. 551). This act was also known as the first peacetime draft (Danzer et. al. 551).
for the war without having him go fight far away (Danzer et. al. 551). This made me feel better because I wasn’t as worried that he wouldn’t be coming back. The Selective Training Act marked the end of our normal life in the United States. For the first time citizens like Ray, were drafted into the army to prepare themselves for possible attacks, http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/clifir.html yet the country remained at peace and not in any war (Spencer, Jr.). After Ray returned home, Roosevelt created a revised bill which would allow more members of the army to be trained at one time. This bill was approved by the Senate on August 18, 1941 (Glass).
Danzer, Gerald A. et. Al. The Americans. Evanston: McDougal Little Inc.,2003.
Glass , Andrew . "Congress enacts first peacetime draft law: Sept. 14, 1940 ." Politico. Sep 14, 2007 . Capitol News Company. 20 Oct 2008 <http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/5792.html>.
Spencer, Jr., Samuel R.. "The First Peacetime Draft." University Press Of Kansas. 2007. University Press of Kansas. 20 Oct 2008 <http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/clifir.html>.